City cycling starts: From now on, the district of Ludwigsburg will be focusing on sustainable mobility, exercise, climate protection and team spirit for three weeks. The aim of the campaign is to cycle as much as possible in teams and collect kilometers - whether on the way to work, to school, to the shops or in your free time. This year, cycling is worthwhile in three ways: pedaling towards a common goal strengthens the community, improves your own health and protects the climate. The competition within the municipalities will be even more exciting. Whether a company or school, administration or sports club - cyclists can set up sub-teams for different departments or school classes and compete against each other within the main team in future.
District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier states: "We are delighted that the number of participating municipalities in the district has risen to 25 this year - so more than half of all towns and municipalities are taking part. This is a great sign that cycling in the district is a matter close to many people's hearts."
Ten municipalities are starting as newcomers this year: Asperg, Bönnigheim, Ingersheim, Freudental, Gemmrigheim, Hemmingen, Marbach, Oberriexingen, Oberstenfeld and Tamm. Fifteen other municipalities have already taken part: Bietigheim-Bissingen, Ditzingen, Freiberg, Gerlingen, Korntal-Münchingen, Kornwestheim, Ludwigsburg, Markgröningen, Möglingen, Pleidelsheim, Remseck, Sachsenheim, Steinheim, Schwieberdingen and Vaihingen.
Anyone who lives or works in the Ludwigsburg district can take part. Those whose municipality is not (yet) participating are welcome to register directly for the district. The kilometers cycled can be entered on the website immediately after the ride, but can also be collected later. The free city cycling app is a little more convenient: participants can use it to track the distances cycled via GPS and credit them directly to their team and municipality.
Cycling with the stars
Particularly committed city cycling stars commit to not using a car during the three-week campaign period - not even as a passenger. They report on their experiences in blog posts. Five people from the Ludwigsburg district are taking part:
- Dr. Matthias Röttgermann from Markgröningen has been cycling to work every day since his training. This is the second time that the local councillor has taken part as a city cycling star - at the beginning of July, he would like to do without his car for three weeks: "I am delighted to see that the town of Markgröningen is working together with local associations to improve mobility for cyclists and pedestrians. I hope that my participation as a city cycling star will generate further public support for this positive approach and that we will finally see visible results."
- Matthias Herrmann is also participating as a city cycling star for Schwieberdingen for the second time. He describes himself as a "city cyclist", as he regularly covers his daily routes by bike "instead" of by car or train. He would like to see more decision-makers who cycle, because he is certain: "Only if we make our traffic routes more bike-conscious will we manage to get more people on bikes and thus achieve better traffic relief, especially in the cities."
- Manfred Hundhausen has been cycling to work all year round for three decades and is cycling as a star for Bietigheim-Bissingen this year. His goal is ambitious: he wants to cover 3,000 kilometers by bike during the 21 days. He has already handed in his car keys at the town hall and is looking forward to the opportunity to promote the positive image of cycling: "The peaceful and harmonious coexistence of cyclists and motorists is particularly important to me, because cyclists are also motorists."
- Anna Wackerow has registered as a city cycling star for the district of Ludwigsburg. She is particularly keen to promote cycling as a means of transportation. Together with her teammates, the Kornwestheim native saves food from being thrown away at foodsharing Ludwigsburg e.V. "There is a lot to transport, and the bicycle is a particularly environmentally friendly means of transportation."
- Vanessa Rampmaier is the city cycling star for her home town of Oberstenfeld. The single mother of two is looking forward to the challenge of mastering everyday life without a car for 21 days. "My motivation is to show others how nice it can be to give up the car every now and then and get on a bike instead. In my opinion, you don't lose any time, but gain quality of life."
Registration is possible at any time at: www.stadtradeln.de/landkreis-ludwigsburg
Prizes, prizes, prizes
All kinds of prizes are awarded: The Climate Alliance, the organizer of the City Cycling competition, awards prizes to the most bicycle-active municipal parliament, the most bicycle-active municipality and the best newcomer municipality in Germany (for reasons of fairness in five groups separated by population). The RadKULTUR initiative, which organizes the competition in Baden-Württemberg, is focusing on the largest teams this year: teams from the company and school category will receive their own RadSERVICE point, while teams from other categories will be rewarded with a RadKULTUR surprise package. Finally, the Ludwigsburg District Office will also be awarding prizes: on the one hand, the best municipalities, teams and individual cyclists in the district, and on the other, surprise packages will be raffled off among all participants.
Info:
City cycling is a campaign of the Climate Alliance. Private individuals as well as representatives of companies, clubs, associations, institutions, cultural facilities, public offices and (high) schools join together in teams to collect as many kilometers as possible on bicycles and pedelecs for three weeks. In Baden-Württemberg, the state initiative RadKULTUR supports the competition. More information and all results at www.stadtradeln.de
